BC Craft Beer Month

October is designated as 'BC Craft Beer Month' and will see tons of craft beer-related events around the province, including Oktoberfests, breweries collaborating on special brews, cask nights, beer dinners, etc.

New Book on BC Craft Beer

Joe Wiebe a.k.a ‘the Thirsty Writer’ has
published a book called ‘Craft Beer Revolution’ that is a must-read for any
serious British Columbia craft beer enthusiast, or for anyone curious to
know a bit about the origins, history, and current state of craft beer in the
province.

With an engaging style, Joe, who has been a fan of B.C. craft beer for
about 20 years and has ...

Christmas Beers!

There's a chill in the air, the Christmas lights are out, and it's that special time of year when breweries around the province brew up their best winter recipes for folks to enjoy on those long cold nights. Seasonal brews have become increasingly prevalent in recent years, as shown by the bumper crop of pumpkin ales this fall.

17th Annual Okanagan Fest-of-Ale!

It's that time of year again, when beer fans from around the Okanagan gather at the Penticton Fest-of-Ale to indulge in the latest offerings from some of the finest breweries in the province and beyond.

As has been the case in the last few years, due to the popularity of this event, tickets are only available in advance, and can be ...more

New Breweries!

The craft brewing scene has ebbed and flowed since the late 1980's, with a general upward trend in the number of microbreweries and brewpubs. There seems to be a bit of a surge in 2011, with at least four new breweries in the works, located in different areas of the province.

16th Annual Okanagan Fest-of-Ale!

The Okanagan Fest-of-Ale, traditional start to the Spring/Summer/Fall beer-drinking season is set to go on April 8-9 this year, held as usual at the Penticton Trade & Convention Center. Always a good time to get out and see what is on offer these days from some of the finest craft breweries in BC (and beyond). And you never know who you'll run into in that great swarming, drunken crowd. :)...more

Okanagan Fest-of-Ale!

The 15th Annual Okanagan Fest-of-Ale in Penticton is set to go Friday and Saturday next weekend (Apr 9-10) and as usual promises to be a good time for all. There’s no doubt that this is one of the premier beer events in the country, being well-organized, timed to coincide with the coming of warmer beer-drinking weather, and situated w...more

Fuller's at Granville Island

From Jan 25 to Feb 5, Granville Island Brewing will be hosting an international beer exchange with the legendary Fuller's brewery of London, England. For two weeks, the venerable Fuller's London Pride will be available on tap at Granville Island Brewing's Taproom.

In exchange, Fuller's will be offering Granville Island Lions Winter Ale at a pub in London called the Iron Duke.

The Art of Beer Marketing

The label on the bottle - like insignia on a beer tap or even the sign hanging from the medieval pub - has always been an unlisted 'ingredient' in beer, helping to create a connection between the brewer and beer drinker. Some breweries go to extremes of creativity and artistry to enhance the appeal of their products and in recognition of this effort, the Collectors of Canadian Brewery Adv...more

More info:

New Looks for Spring

Spring is here and with it some new fashions, as both Tree Brewing and Granville Island Brewing have overhauled their labels/packaging for 2009. (This after Okanagan Spring did a major revamp of their packaging, introducing the helpful 'color wheel' in late 2008....

Beer Season Begins

The weather is warming up, the snow is almost gone, but more importantly the true sign of spring is almost here: Okanagan Fest of Ale in Penticton. Held this year on Friday, April 3-Saturday, April 4, this festival has been running each spring since 1995 and is always a super showcase of some of the finest ales in these parts (and beyond) - and a heck of a good opportunity to celebrat...more

Ales for the Winter

Winter beers are once again among us, with a festive variety of flavours, and even different sizes and shapes. Among the specialties returning from previous years are Granville Island'sLions Winter Ale and Tree'sSpiced Mid-Winter Ale (always a treat)...more

More info:

Kelowna Beer Festival

The Kelowna Beer Festival held on May 30 and 31, and billed as the 'first annual', went off like a bomb - in various senses of the word. It was a fairly small scale affair, with not a lot of breweries and nothing much that you couldn't pick up at the local well-stocked liquor store. (Unless you count 'the no. 1 export beer in China.') Still, a good enough showin...

Let's Drink to the Environment

Out here in British Columbia, we not only enjoy fine beer, but we also place a high value on our super natural surroundings. And, as we all know by now, we need to pay more attention than ever to environmental considerations in order to ensure that our natural endowments are available for our children to enjoy. Which brings us to beer packaging.

Beer of the Year 2007!

Phillips Brewing's Black Toque India Dark Ale gets my vote for BC 'Beer of the Year 2007.' India Dark Ale is not a common style - for all I know, Matt Phillips may have invented it himself as a way to push the limits of India Pale Ale (IPA) in a malty direction without losing the hop factor. Whatever t...

'Tis the Season for Fine Drink

With the festive season upon us, the cooler weather calls for something heartier – and maybe with a bit more spirit – than what is typically quaffed in summer. BC craft brewers offer a number of selections that fit the bill.

Dark Ales

BC brewers produce a number of darker and richer ales that are available all year long but go down particularly ni...

A Beer Champion Passes On

Michael Jackson, widely regarded as the world’s foremost beer aficionado and writer, died on August 30, 2007 in his London home. Long before most folks realized there was anything more than an ocean of bland lagers out there, Michael Jackson was scouring the world for interesting examples of the brewers art and chronicling his discoveries for others to enjoy. In addition to his more

Beers of Summer

For most beer drinkers, summer brings on a thirst for something a little lighter and snappier than what they might reach for in the cooler months. Beer styles such as lager, pilsner, wheat beers, and maybe even IPA, come to mind. Naturally, BC brewers rise to the occasion and have a number of offerings that fit the bill.

Upcoming Features

With summer well on it's way in BC, the beer is starting to flow - on the patio, by the barbeque, at the beach, the baseball game, after the mountain bike ride. So in the next couple of weeks we'll be doing some intensive tasting and do a roundup of some of the best of BC summer beers in a couple of different categories. Stay tuned!

Beer Season Kick-off!

Although there have been some beer events already this year, such as the Wine & Beer Festival at UBC, many beer fans look to the Okanagan Fest-of-Ale held in Penticton since 1995 as the traditional kick-off to the beer drinking season. Of course beer can - and should - be enjoyed all year long, but the warmer weather just seems to make i...

Barley Wine Revelation

'Barley Wine' is a name given to extra strong (typically 8-15% alcohol), robust ales that can often improve with age, similar to wine. They are a rare commodity and, so far as I know, none are being produced in BC at this time. But...

...A few weeks back my buddy Peter Glockner reached way into his cellar and pulled out a bottle of 'No. 1 Barley Wine Ale' brewed by Tall Ship...